Claudia Mason, beautiful and popular young actress, was found lying across the chaise-longue in her elaborately furnished dressing-room, dead from a bullet wound in the temple.
She had sold her jewels and, with an heroic gesture, partially paid her many debts.
Near Claudia’s right hand, Sergeant Reynolds picked up the revolver with which she had been killed, and after careful examination said:
‘No finger-prints, of course. Gosh, Fordney, there’s two rocks she didn’t sell,’ he exclaimed, pointing to a large emerald on her left hand and a diamond on her right.
‘Call Maria, her maid. I want to find out who this fellow is,’ said the Professor, nodding toward a man’s photograph signed, Juan. ‘This was evidently addressed to him,’ he said, passing over a note which read:
Dear Juan:
I am so despondent. The money from my jewels was not nearly enough.
Claudia
‘Not many of these dames kill themselves over their debts,’ muttered Reynolds as he went to call Maria.
The maid entered the room, sobbing and hysterical.
‘Who is Juan?’ asked Professor Fordney.
‘He’s the leading man in the show.’
‘Why wasn’t this note delivered to him?’
‘I forgot it.’
‘You found her?’
‘Yes. When I came to help her dress she—was—like that!’
‘Is Juan in his dressing-room now?’
‘I believe so.’
When Reynolds brought him into Claudia’s room, he dropped to his knees beside the dead girl.
‘My God! She’s killed herself!’
‘No, she hasn’t, young man. She was murdered,’ said the Professor.
